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Merton's Correspondence with:

Harry James Cargas; Harry J. Cargas; Harry Cargas; Cargas, Harry J.

Cargas, Harry James, 1932-  printer

 
 

Descriptive Summary

Record Group: Section A - Correspondence
Dates of materials: 1961-1968
Volume: 45 item(s); 53 pg(s)

Scope and Content

Besides discussions of Merton writing for an anthology, the two men discuss pacifism and the writings of Thoreau.

Biography

Harry J. Cargas was writing from the Department of English at Saint Louis University in Missouri. He was the former editor of Queen's Work, who published Merton's introduction to the Japanese edition of The Seven Storey Mountain. He was a decorated combat veteran who had become a pacifist and liked Merton's writings on non-violence.

Usage Guidelines and Restrictions

Please click here for general restrictions concerning Merton's correspondence.

Related Information and Links

See two published letters from Merton to Cargas in Witness to Freedom, pp. 170-171.

Other Finding Aids

If the person in correspondence with Merton has full text records in the Merton Center Digital Collections, there will be a numeric link to them below.
   

Series List

This Record Sub-Group is not divided into Series and is arranged chronologically.

Container List

Click icons for links: ✓="Published | Library Record", ✉="Scanned" | 🗷="Scanned, Viewable Only at Merton Center"

#DateFrom/ToFirst LinesPub ✓Notes
 y/m/dMerton Scan ✉ 
1. 1961/10/29 TL[x] to Merton For our forthcoming Lenten issue of The Catholic Book Reporter, I am looking for an article «detailed view»
2. 1961/11/06 TLS[x] from Fox, James Your kind letter of October 29 addressed to our good Father M. Louis, known to you as Thomas Merton, «detailed view»
3. 1963/03/28 TL[x] to Merton Herder and Herder has just sent me a copy of LIFE AND HOLINESS which I have found to be especially «detailed view»
4. 1963/04/02 HNS[x] from Merton Frank Dell'Isola published a bibliography (Farrar Straus & C.) which goes up to about 1956. «detailed view»
5. 1963/04/21 TL[x] to Merton Thank you very much for the copies of your works which you sent me. You were kind to take «detailed view»
6. 1963/04/30 TL[x] to Merton Thomas Merton has informed me that you are working on a Merton bibliography. I am beginning «detailed view»
7. 1963/07/02 TL[x] to Merton Sometime ago we corresponded and I told you that I would soon become editor of The Queen's Work, «detailed view»
8. 1963/07/26 TL[x] to Merton A short while ago, I wrote to you seeking a contribution to The Queen's Work. I especially «detailed view»
9. 1963/09/26 HLS[x] from Merton I have neglected your letter, but I have an excuse - I have been in the hospital and am «detailed view»
10. 1963/10/02 TL[x] to Merton You were kind to send along your new introduction to MOUNTAIN. We can be certain that so many «detailed view»
11. 1963/12/05 TL[x] to Merton Our January issue with your "Introduction to the Japanese Edition of Mountain" will be coming off «detailed view»
12. 1965/07/13 TLS[x] from Merton Ever since I published my first book, there has been an almost unlimited choice of rumors about me, «detailed view»
13. 1965/09/21 TLS to Merton I am the former editor of Queen's Work; you may recall you allowed us to print your introduction invitation to publish articles on John of the Cross for a new book series by Herder and Herder / Cargas will edit a volume on John Howard Griffin «detailed view»
14. 1965/09/24 TLS[x] from Merton Thanks for your letter. It was good to hear from you again. I am interested in the new series «detailed view»
15. 1965/09/30 TLS to Merton One comeback on the projected series of books, and the one I asked of you on St. John of the Cross. asking if Merton would at least choose the best 15 articles from a larger number that Cargas would send if he will not write one himself / his background of decorated combat veteran turned pacifist «detailed view»
16. 1965/10/13 (#01) TLS[x] from Merton I have beenpondering [sic] on your letter of Sept. 30th and of course if you are so anxious to have ✓ Merton may be interested but does not want to do any more on John of the Cross - suggest many other writers, many non-Catholics - "three best [...] St Anselm, Origen and Solovyov, -- with Flannery O'C. [O'Connell] in case you don't want a non-catlick." / caveat against claiming to be a complete pacifist - Pope Paul's approach «detailed view»
17. 1965/10/13 (#02) TL[c] from Merton I have beenpondering [sic] on your letter of Sept. 30th and of course if you are so anxious to have ✓ Merton may be interested but does not want to do any more on John of the Cross - suggest many other writers, many non-Catholics - "three best [...] St Anselm, Origen and Solovyov, -- with Flannery O'C. [O'Connor] in case you don't want a non-catlick." / caveat against claiming to be a complete pacifist - Pope Paul's approach «detailed view»
18. 1965/10/18 TL[x] to Merton Thomas Merton on William Blake would be wonderfully wild for all concerned. The problem of proving «detailed view»
19. 1965/11/10 HNS[x] from Merton Will you please hold up the Xerox ext.? A new problem arose when I went to clear the book with my «detailed view»
20. 1965/11/15 TL[x] to Merton I'm awfully distressed to hear about the problems that have arisen. But I shall refrain from «detailed view»
21. 1965/11/25 (#01) TLS[x] from Merton I am afraid that I did not manage to save any anthology projects with my boss. I had two of them, «detailed view»
22. 1965/11/25 (#02) TL[c] from Merton I am afraid that I did not manage to save any anthology projects with my boss. I had two of them, Merton explains that he is not allowed to do anthology projects / would have liked to do the Flannery O'Connor project «detailed view»
23. 1965/12/08 TL[x] to Merton Enclosed are some articles on Flannery O'Connor which may interest you. When you are through «detailed view»
24. 1965/12/14 TL[x] to Merton So you are one of America's fifteen most important Catholics. I think that was a great stroke «detailed view»
25. 1965/12/20 TNS[x] from Merton Many thanks for sending these. I want to get them back before it is too late: the big rush will «detailed view»
26. 1965/12/25? TLS[x]  from Merton to Friends I hate to resort to mimeographed letters, but it has now become completely impossible for me to answ ✓ [labeled "A Christmas Letter - 1965" - mimeographed letter sent to Merton's friends - see "Circular Letters" file] «detailed view»
27. 1966/02/10 TALS to Merton I am giving a talk on Thoreau (emphasis on Walden) and would like to briefly discuss asks Merton for a paragraph or two about the influence that Thoreau had on him «detailed view»
28. 1966/02/14 (#01) TLS[x] from Merton OK, a word about Thoreau since you ask. The only references to him in my writings are few ✓ references to Thoreau by Merton - Conjectures, Sign of Jonas, mentioned "Thoreau and Emily Dickenson made me glad of being an American" in a letter to Mark Van Doren / not a Thoreau expert but living Walden-like existence at hermitage / Thoreau a "bridge builder between East and West" «detailed view»
29. 1966/02/14 (#02) TL[c] from Merton OK, a word about Thoreau since you ask. The only references to him in my writings are few ✓ references to Thoreau by Merton - Conjectures, Sign of Jonas, mentioned "Thoreau and Emily Dickenson made me glad of being an American" in a letter to Mark Van Doren / not a Thoreau expert but living Walden-like existence at hermitage / Thoreau a "bridge builder between East and West" «detailed view»
30. 1966/02/22 TLS to Merton Thank you for your thoughts on Thoreau. Our diocesan paper is carrying your two-article series non-violence as "nature's developing law" «detailed view»
31. 1966/03/10 TL[x] to Merton Enclosed are the articles you asked for. I hope you will feel free to ask me to be of help again «detailed view»
32. 1966/12/25 TALS[x]  from Merton to Friends Sorry, I have just had to give up any hope of answering most of my Christmas mail personally. ✓ [labeled "Christmas Morning 1966" - mimeographed letter sent to Merton's friends - see "Circular Letters" file] «detailed view»
33. 1967/01/03 TLS to Merton I thought you might like to see this brief review I did on your book. It appeared in the ST. LOUIS review by Cargas of a book by Merton in the St. Louis Globe-Democrat «detailed view»
34. 1967/01/17 TL[x] to Merton I have been asked by Bruce Publishing House to edit a series on war. The idea is to get people «detailed view»
35. 1967/01/18 TALS to Merton I have been asked by Bruce Publishing House to edit a series on war. The idea is to get people asking Merton to write an article on war and respond to four other points of view / Jean-Robert Leguey Feilleux, vice-president of CAIP [Catholic Association for International Peace?] to present on view, Cargas to present pacifist point of view - looking for someone as an "articulate super hawk" / Merton's note on letter "No- Jan 26." «detailed view»
36. 1967/01/22 TLS[x] from Merton Several wrote that they liked my mimeographed Christmas letter and urged me to go on mimeographing «detailed view»
37. 1967/01/26 TNS[x] from Merton Sorry, I am so much in a bind now with my other work that I can't possibly take on the essay you ask «detailed view»
38. 1967/02/13 TL[x] to Merton Sorry you could not be with us on the book but it turns out that the editor Gary MacEoin has now «detailed view»
39. 1968/09/no? TLS[x] from Merton As you know, I have been cutting down more and more on letters and now my contracts will be almost ✓ [labeled "FALL 1968" - written from New Delhi, India - mimeographed letter sent to Merton's friends - see "Circular Letters" file] «detailed view»
40. 1968/10/10 TL[x] to Merton Greetings from St. Louis, home of the World Champion St. Louis Cardinals (I hope). «detailed view»
41. 1968/11/09 TL[x]  from Merton to Friends This newsletter is not a reply to mail because I have not been getting mail on this Asian trip ✓ [labeled "Asian Letter 1" - written from New Delhi, India - mimeographed letter sent to Merton's friends - see "Circular Letters" file] «detailed view»
42. 1970/no/no? TLS from Center to Cargas, Harry We are wring to you regarding your correspondence with the late Thomas Merton. «detailed view»
43. undated/no/no other[x]   GLOSE ON THE SIN OF IXION [-] He saw her: that is, he labored. [-] He loved sweet business (Juno [photocopy of signed typescript - later called "Gloss on the Sin of Ixion" - "glose" may either be a typographical error or a use of the French word for "gloss"] «detailed view»
44. undated/no/no HNS  from Cargas, Millie / to Pauline Pearson I think you'll find some of this material pretty interesting. Good seeing you Sunday. «detailed view»
45. undated/no/no other[x]   This is the poem of Thomas Merton I mentioned when we were together a few weeks ago--the loveliest [Merton's poem "Night-Flowering Cactus" - typed note and handwritten note by Cargas or someone other than Merton, "If the poem isn't about Mary, I don't want to know it!"] «detailed view»
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